Posts Tagged ‘virus’

In the current issue of Nature Medicine, scientists have proven what they long suspected – that HIV can hide in our bone marrow and avoid eradication by HIV drugs. Current medications can reduce HIV levels in the blood to an undetectable amount. But, the virus can often come surging back when one stops taking medication because our current drugs do not attack the bone marrow cells which harbor dormant viruses. Why not? Because if we completely kill off all our marrow cells our body cannot produce blood, which would essentially be fatal. However, we now have a new target for future medications to act. And, who knows, we may discover even more places where the virus is able to hide and evade attack. [via HealthDay]

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Scientists have discovered a potential retroviral link to chronic fatigue syndrome, known as CFS, a debilitating disease that affects millions of people in the United States. Researchers from the Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI), located at the University of Nevada, Reno, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Cleveland Clinic, report this finding online Oct. 8, 2009, issue of Science. “We now have evidence that a retrovirus named XMRV is frequently present in the blood of patients with CFS. This discovery could be a major step in the discovery of vital treatment options for millions of patients,” said Judy Mikovits, Ph.D., director of research for WPI and leader of the team that discovered this association. Researchers cautioned however, that this finding shows there is an association between XMRV and CFS but does not prove that XMRV causes CFS. [Continue reading at National Institutes of Health]

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The New York Times is reporting that the first injectable H1N1 vaccines have shipped from vaccine maker Sanofi-Aventis. Previously, the first H1N1 vaccinations were to be the live virus type, in the form of a nasal spray. However, live virus vaccines are not recommended for certain groups including pregnant women, people with health problems, and adults over the age of 50 – some of the groups most at risk should they contract H1N1 infection. Sanofi-Aventis has a contract with the US government to provide 75 million doses of the vaccine, which will be provided free to physicians and health care workers. Health officials say there will eventually be enough vaccine for anyone who wants one, but priority will be given to high-risk groups first. The seasonal flu vaccine is currently distributed in sufficient quantity to the general public. Stay tuned to for up-to-date recommendations for the H1N1 vaccine as it becomes more widely available. [via Kaiser Health News]

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A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences may lead to exciting discoveries regarding prostate cancer. By analyzing samples of prostate cancers scientists discovered that 27% of them contained xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV). XMRV is a virus that is known to cause leukemia and tumors in animals. Even though it has been found in association with human prostate cancer, there’s not evidence that it is the specific cause of the disease. However, it is an important question that needs to be answered. Another well-known virus that can cause human cancers is the human papilloma virus (HPV). Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, after lung cancer, killing approximately 250,000 men annually. [via ABC News]

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As we near the end of one flu season here in the US, there is news that one drug-resistant type of the flu virus may be coming around in greater numbers the next season. The type A influenza virus appears to be developing resistance to the most commonly used anti-flu medication in the US, Tamiflu. This finding was published early in the online version of the Journal of the American Medical Association due to it’s importance on public health. The report is urging medical professionals to be cognizant of this rising drug resistance and to prescribe Tamiflu only when appropriate.

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Scientists have discovered a small family of antibodies capable of fighting off an unprecedented range of influenza A viruses, including the avian flu virus and previous pandemic viruses. One of the reasons why it’s difficult to formulate a cure to the flu is because the viruses are always mutating. However, the newly discovered antibodies are able to hone in on a small portion of flu viral structure that remains the same from virus to virus thereby neutralizing them before they cause an infection.

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A team of researchers from University of Wisconsin and the University of Maryland reported that they have sequenced the genomes of all 99 cataloged human rhinoviruses, the viruses that cause the common cold. Knowing the sequences of the viral genomes will allow us to understand the virus, its evolution, structure and vulnerabilities. Eventually, this may pave the way for development of drugs that will

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British researchers examined historical data for human papilloma virus (HPV)-related cancers and found that the post World War II baby boomer generation saw an increase in these cancers. HPV is an STD that can be transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. Changes in sexual practice and greater exposure to HPV are seen as the most likely cause for these increased rates. Currently, an HPV vaccine called Gardasil is available. It’s routinely recommended for 11 and 12 year old girls. It is also recommended for girls and women ages 13 to 26 who have not yet been vaccinated or completed the vaccine series.

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